Corporate strategies often lack integrity, primarily in the infrastructure of strategy and occasionally in moral wherewithal. Tonight, the Global Business Coalition will recognize the profound efforts of an organization that looked beyond publicity, beyond even bureaucracy to improve not only the health and lifestyle of their employees but the lives of thousands, perhaps millions of South Africans.

Anglo Coal South Africa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Anglo American. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global leader in platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, as well as an industrial minerals business. The Group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia.

Yet its their specific initiatives in South Africa that warrant notoriety, even if that wasn’t the reason they set out to curb a long-thought impossible epidemic. During my interview with Anglo Coal representatives, they made it clear their target for their employees was zero new infections a year. As it is truly an uphill battle, it perhaps is still remarkable that there were only 61 reported cases. It is also remarkable because it is indeed factual.

Every employee is tested annually for HIV/AIDS. Those whose results test either positive or negative receive council as how to stay HIV free or live healthy and happy lives with the disease. There is zero-tolerance for persecution of any kind, indeed a true haven for any ready to work in South Africa.

The challenges in integrating were great. Although not met with much bureaucratic red-tape, ambivalence can be as cruel a card dealt. It took corporate autonomy to raise the collective eyebrows of those in political power, a situation which today continues to grow into a strategically pragmatic partnership, to face new challenges such as workers mining out of the domestic region, what they may be susceptible to, etc.

To ensure broader community awareness of the issues around HIV and AIDS, Anglo Coal has additionally recruited and trained over 250 ‘peer educators’. Anglo American will also this year commit over $1.2 million to health and AIDS related services in disadvantaged areas of South Africa.

This isn’t meant to be a puff piece, but a precedent. A story of how one corporation acted autonomously and through their work within their own workforce they achieved free publicity, improved the health of their workers, their families, their family friends, a chain reaction of education in prevention that was an onus of responsibility no corporation needs to take. What was achieved was great and I whole-heartily endorse the recognition they will be getting in Washington tonight.